Dismal Angel Episode 8: Innocence
by AngelExposed
Summary: Rogue's is trying to decide what she wants and doesn't want with Remy back in her life. On a field trip to Muir Island a break in occurs leaving them both the prime suspects with their only alibi being each other (finished R&R)
1. Chapter 1: Muir Island

Chapter 1: Muir Island

            Rogue was dozing peacefully aboard the blackbird jet, it felt as if it were the first time in an eternity she'd slept.  And in her sleep she had vague dreams, dreams of things that never made sense.  Her dreams these days almost always included the young man known as Remy LeBeau.

            Rogue stirred when something small and hard hit her in the face, and she shifted her position, slightly wakening, and then tried to go back to sleep, again, something else hit her, this time felt as if it bounced off her forehead.  

            Eyes still closed, she rubbed her forehead confusedly, and snorted tiredly, and leaned back in her chair against the pillow she'd brought with her. 

            Again, something hit her in the face, her eyes snapped open, seeing Remy LeBeau leaning over the back of the chair in front of her flicking peanuts at her.

            "LeBeau!" Rogue gasped, she rubbed her face, "what in the hell are you doin', I was sleepin'!"

            "I know, I was bored," he smirked, he tossed the bag of peanuts away and rested his arms against the backrest of the chair, he was facing her, rested his cheek against his arms, looking at her, "sleep good?"

            "I was until you intervened," Rogue ran her fingers delicately underneath the corners of her eyes to wipe away any sleep crusts, while at the same time, desperately trying to not disturb her thick eyeliner.  

            "You slept for five hours, Chere," Remy advised her.

            "I'm still tired."

            Remy smirked, "we're almost there."

            Rogue leaned to the side, still securely seat-belted in place, she could see the large windows of the blackboard up front, seeing nothing but sky and cloud, she tried to remember where they were going, she'd been so tired she'd forgotten already.

            Then it came to her.  Muir Island.  Hank McCoy alone was taking four of the students to visit the first official Mutant Research Centre in Britain – perhaps even in the world.  It just happened to be on a small Island in Scotland, she had a feeling – even though no one had told her much about it – that the Island would have very little on it other than the Research Centre itself.

            "You awake or what, Chere?" Remy waved his hand in front of her face from side to side to get her attention, she'd been staring into space.

            "Do you mind!" Rogue slapped his hand away roughly with one of her gloved hands, and frowned, "one rough bump on this ride and you could end up touching me, and the last thing I need is more of your thoughts and memories – and powers – in me!"

            Remy smirked, "nah, you'd rather have other parts of me in you…" he looked at her beneath his dark brown bangs with eyes that were red on black.

            "Why you—" Rogue was about to find a nice string of vulgar swear words to dismiss Remy with, but the voice of Hank McCoy stopped her abruptly.

            "Remy LeBeau, need I remind you that your innuendos and euphemisms are well out of place amongst a class of minors," Hank did not even turn, but he'd heard the commotion at his back, he was piloting the jet, with Kitty Pryde in the seat beside him, helping pilot.  Kitty glanced back to look at both Remy and Rogue, and Kurt, who was in the seat opposite from where Rogue was, he glanced at them both with a suspicious expression.

            "Didn't say a thing," Remy defended, he sat back down in his seat very innocently.

            Rogue blushed scarlet, she leaned forward to speak between the gape between the two chairs in front of her, where Remy was sitting alone, "I'm gonna get you for that," she muttered quietly.

            "I look forward to it…" Remy turned and gazed at her through the gape in the chairs, he smirked, she could see only one of his eyes.

            "Get a haircut," Rogue muttered, and leaned back in her chair stubbornly, and then added "And a shave."

            The remainder of the flight only lasted for forty minutes, and the jet finally landed on a large field about forty feet away from a large modern-looking building.  The five X-Men – Hank McCoy, Remy LeBeau, Kitty Pryde, Kurt Wagner and Rogue – left jet, and headed towards the building, greeted at the front door by a woman with shoulder length brown hair, and very plain – but pretty – features.  She was wearing a long white coat, a simple brown skirt and a cream coloured blouse.

            "You're early," the woman stated, a thick Scottish accent made her voice stand out.

            Hank smiled, "Kids, this is Moira MacTaggert, she's one of the co-founders of the mutant research centre as well as one of the worlds top geneticists, among other things."

            Moira smiled, "Welcome to Muir Island."

            Remy stood behind Rogue, and nudged her playfully in the back.  Rogue elbowed him in the stomach very carefully – remembering how strong she actually was compared to him.

            "I guess we should get you settled into some rooms before we show you around," Moira smiled, "come with me…"

            Hank waved the students to follow, "go with Moira.  I'm catch up with you all later," he assured.

            The students followed Moira, leaving Beast outside.  The inside of the mutant research centre was huge, and immaculate, everything new and clean, so clean it seemed to sparkle.  

            "Wow, this place is great," Kitty Pryde marvelled, "so this is like, the first official Mutant Research centre in Britain?" she queried.

            "Yes," Moira said, "we work towards researching the facts behind mutant genetics and manifestations, we hope to help a lot of mutants here in the future…" she explained.

            Remy walked quietly behind Rogue, and placed his hand softly against her lower back, Rogue pulled away, "Remy, stop it!" she said a hushed whisper.

            He just smirked and walked despite her telling him off.  Rogue walked a little ahead, so that Kurt was between herself and Remy.

            Moira led them up a very large winding staircase, and then along a long hallway, and then up a smaller staircase, "This is the living area up here," She stated, she gestured to a large rather normal looking living room, "The rooms are all in one hallway at the moment, so male and female quarters are not separated as of yet, the fourth floor is still being painted you see," Moira explained.  "Okay, so what are all your names?" she asked as she stopped in a small narrow hallway.

            "I'm Kitty Pryde," Kitty smiled, she shook Moira's hand.

            "Kurt Wagner," Kurt gave a goofy bow.

            "Remy LeBeau," Remy stated, he did not look at Moira, he was watching Rogue carefully.

            "Rogue," Rogue muttered quietly, she could feel Remy's eyes staring at her intently.

            "Alright…" Moira nodded, "Kitty…you can take this room," she opened a door, and gestured inside.  Moira walked over to the door next to the door of Kitty's room, "Rogue, you're in here…"

            Rogue looked at Moira, separate rooms?  That could only be trouble, she hoped the doors were lockable.  "Are the doors lockable?" she queried. 

            "Afraid not…as of yet," Moira made a face, "is something wrong with that?"

            "I…no, not at all…" Rogue glanced at Remy who looked amused.

            "Alright…" Moira nodded, she then crossed the hall, "Remy…" she motioned to the door directly opposite Rogue's room, "you're in here, and Kurt, the door on the left to this one," Moira finished, "go in and get yourselves comfortable and unpacked, and come down to the front hall in about an hour?" she looked at them, "when I'll show you all around."

            "Alright," Kitty said brightly.

            Rogue sighed and went into her room, shutting the door behind her.  The room was tiny, a single bed against one wall, with a very small low dresser beside it, a small desk lamp upon it.  There was one large window, simple white blinds hanging in front of it.  Rogue walked across the carpeted floor and yanked on the cord of the blinds, pulling them up, the room had a nice view of the ocean and a beach, she opened the window carefully and leaned out fully, the cold Scottish breeze stirring her hair.

            "Nice view…"

            Rogue glanced over her shoulder, Remy had entered the room, he was standing leaning against the threshold.  "It is, isn't it?" she gestured to the view outside, although the sky outside was grey, the view was not any less spectacular.

            Remy looked at her backside and gave a nod, "Yup, from here it is."

            Rogue suddenly realised what he meant and brought herself back into the room from the window, and closed the window, "what do you want, LeBeau?"

            "I was bored," he flung himself on her bed.

            "So unpack," Rogue kicked his left leg, which was hanging off of the bed.

            "So hostile, Chere," Remy reached up, grabbing a hold of her waist and pulled her down onto him, smirking, "when you gonna warm up to me again?"

            Rogue began to fume in anger, she'd already been through this with him previously three weeks ago when he'd returned to the X-Men.  She'd told him there could never be anything between them – he seemed to ignore the fact completely.  It wasn't that she wasn't attracted to him, or that he didn't interest her in the slightest, but after all he'd done, and his involvement with her gaining Miss Marvel's powers, she knew she couldn't ever trust him in that way.  Not now.

            Rogue pressed her hands against his chest and tried to get up, "stop it!" she kneed him between the legs and rolled off of him, falling to the floor with a thud.

            "Owwww," he groaned, "Chere, you're lethal…what is it with you and maiming guys in the balls?" he looked at her with confusion.

            "It's the best way to hurt a guy," Rogue shrugged, "get out of my room."

            "You don't really want me to go," Remy held himself in pain.

            "Sure I do," Rogue gestured towards the open door, "get out."

            "I can't…you've hurt me…" Remy moaned.

            "I'll hurt you more if you don't get your ass out of my room…"

            Remy remained on the bed writhing in agony.

            "Fine," Rogue walked over, and with no trouble, picked Remy up, flinging him over her shoulder, holding onto the backs of his legs, "I'll have to move you myself."

            Remy, with a free hand, slapped his hand against her backside playfully, "you don't wanna do that."

            Rogue frowned, "yes I do, she dropped him roughly on the floor outside of her room, and stepped back inside and closed the door, and stood against it to keep him out.

            "Oh come ON!" Remy whined, "that was SO unfair!"

            Rogue rolled her eyes, "Life is unfair."


	2. Chapter 2: Exploring

Chapter 2: Exploring

            After an extensive tour of the whole of the Mutant Research Centre, which Rogue found all too boring – as did Remy – the X-Men were given the freedom to do as they wished for the rest of the day.  Rogue retired up to her room, and closed the door.  She'd done half of her unpacking but quickly grew bored of it and had nothing else to do for the night.  

            She went looking for Kitty, or Kurt, who were nowhere to be found, she could only assume they'd gone off together to do some exploring.  Despairing, Rogue realised there was only one thing to do, she went looking for Remy LeBeau.  She headed towards his door and knocked.

            "c'mon in," she heard his very casual reply, it was almost as if he had expected someone to be knocking at his door and coming to see him.

            Rogue stepped in.  Remy was stretched out on his bed, with a book in one hand, and a cigarette in the other, "what'cha reading?" she asked casually.

            Remy held the book up for her to see, "Interview With the Vampire, huh?" she closed the door behind herself and she leaned against the wall, keeping a distance from him, "good book."

            "I know," Remy said, "I own most of Anne Rice's books."

            "Me too," Rogue admitted, "she's my favourite author…" 

            Remy took a long drag of his cigarette, and then flicked the ash into an astray that was resting on his belly, "here for a reason?" he asked curiously.

            "Yeah, I was just wondering if you've seen Kurt or Kitty?  I can't find them."

            "Saw them leavin'," Remy stated, "they went with Hank to a supermarket about five miles away, gone to pick up something for dinner," Remy scratched his head skilfully, the cigarette still lodged between two fingers.

            "When are you going to quit smokin'?" Rogue asked, she looked for a place to sit, and there was none, no other chairs, just Remy's bed, and the little dresser, just like in the room she'd been put in.

            "Never," Remy looked at her, "why's it bother you anyway?  No one's askin' you to be in my room…" he reminded.

            "I know," Rogue looked at him, "I guess…I'll go then," She was about to leave.

            "Wait…" Remy sighed, he put the cigarette out in the ashtray and then placed the ashtray on the dresser, he put his book down, sitting up, he stretched, "What do you wanna do?"

            "What do you mean?"

            "Well, there's fuck all to do in the centre, their TV doesn't even have cable," he remarked bitterly, "so…do you wanna go exploring?"

            Rogue paused for a moment to think, "well…maybe…"

            "Maybe or yes?" Remy stood up, he grabbed his leather coat, which had been hanging from a peg on the wall, he pulled it on.

            "Yes,"  Rogue replied, "Hold on, I'll go get my jacket…" she said, she left his room and went into her own, Remy followed her into hers.

            "You ain't finished your unpacking," he pointed out.

            "I know," Rogue stated, "I'll do it later…"

            Remy picked up a pair of black lace underwear that had been lying on the bed, "kinky."

            "Hey!" Rogue smacked him roughly and grabbed the underwear from him.

            "Black undies, huh?" he laughed, stumbling a little from her rough smacking.

            "My underwear is my business," she threw the underwear into a drawer and slammed it shut. 

            He laughed, "alright, alright, I was just playin'."

            "Yeah, I know, that's what worries me…" 

            Remy and Rogue headed downstairs after Rogue got her jacket, and they found some keys to a guest jeep, and went to the parking lot behind the centre.  

            "Maybe we should check with someone first?" Rogue queried, "we can't just take a guest jeep, that's stealing."

            "No its not, its borrowing," Remy unlocked the jeep doors, he looked inside, "oh great…" he made a face.

            "What?"

            "European cars, typical," he motioned to the drivers side being on the opposite side of where it should have been.

            They climbed into the car, Remy looked around, "This is going to feel a bit awkward…" he admitted.

            "You do know that they also drive on the other side of the road, right?" Rogue asked.

            "Yeah, I know, I saw James Bond enough times," he added, he pulled on his seatbelt, Rogue did the same.

            The jeep started up with a soft purr, and soon they were driving.  They drove for a while, the island was quiet, there was barely any homes on the island at all, one supermarket, and a public house, there was also a very cottage like restaurant near the edge of the island.  

            "I don't believe how bare this island is," Rogue stated, "one bar, a restaurant and a supermarket, hardly makes it even a town, does it?"

            Remy reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, and whilst driving, skilfully lit himself a cigarette.

            "Remy, please, I have to breathe that smoke in!" Rogue made a face.

            "I have an addiction," Remy shrugged, "one of many," he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, still driving, he turned on the radio of the jeep, there seemed to only be one radio station the jeep was able to receive on the Island.

            "How many addictions are we talking here," Rogue looked at him.

            Remy began singing along to the radio, the song being Robert Palmers 'Addicted to Love'.  Rogue could only laugh.

            "You're such a goof," she giggled, she tapped her fingers idly on the dashboard.

            Remy parked the jeep near a Cliffside, and leaned back in his seat, "look at that view…"

            It was getting dark but the view was pretty amazing, across a stretch of water they could see city lights on the mainland.  Rogue got out and walked to the front of the jeep and climbed onto the hood, she sat there, looking out.  Remy followed.

            Remy sat beside her, "ain't nothing to do on this island chere…" he sighed, he continued to smoke his cigarette, he remained in silence from then on.

            Rogue kept her eyes on him, the last remnants of daylight flattered his chiselled features, his hair, which was now past his ears, was stirring in the wind.  He breathed smoke through his nose, and watched the view seemingly deep in thought.  Rogue continued to watch him, she wanted to kiss him right then, but the fact that she couldn't plagued her like disease.

            "You okay?" Rogue queried softly.  

            "Of course," he tossed his cigarette butt over the Cliffside, and turned towards her, "why, you worried about me?" he smirked.

            "Never," Rogue made a face, she looked off into the distance again, and shivered, "Its so much colder here than it is at home," She hugged herself against the cool air.

            "Yeah," Remy slung his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder briskly, "nothin' like the heat in the south, huh?" 

            Rogue shrugged, and moved away, "don't touch me, please?  I don't want any more of you in my head," she looked away.

            "I was barely touchin' you…nowhere even near your skin.  Chere, you gotta stop with this, damn you're so hard to get close to!"

            "I told you there's no way me and you are GETTING close, remember?" Rogue looked at him pointedly.  She'd have given anything right then to kiss him, she could feel the urge to throw herself on him right then and there building up like an electrical charge that would turn into a bolt of lightning.  She got up and walked away abruptly, hating herself at that very moment.  

            "Marie?" Remy got up and followed her, "what's wrong?" he asked worriedly, he could tell she was upset, even when her back was turned to him.  

            "Nothing is wrong," Rogue lied, she kept walking.

            Remy stopped her, both hands placed upon her shoulders, he turned her towards him, "no, something IS wrong," he looked at her, "I'd rather you just tell me instead of making up bullshit about nothing being wrong," he added.

            Rogue looked at him, "You are driving me crazy, that's what's wrong…" she sighed.

            "C'mere…" Remy murmured, and pulled her to him, he held her close to his body, her cheek against his chest, Rogue closed her eyes, she could hear his heart beating, erratic and fast.  She wrapped her arms around him gingerly, and held onto him.  "I know things are tough," he murmured, "It'll get better…I know I drive you crazy, I can't help it…" he rubbed her back soothingly.  "I'll try harder not to."

            Rogue sighed, "Remy, we shouldn't," she moved back from him, leaving the warmth of his arms, "remember what we agreed…"

            "No…we didn't agree, I disagreed, remember?" He looked at her, "why not just give me a chance.  You know bein' in a relationship isn't all about kissin' and havin' sex you know," he looked at her.

            "Funny, I was under the impression that's what it was to you," Rogue stated, moving further back from him, she headed towards the car.

            "Its about companionship…" Remy admitted, "and in that, we got lots to offer each other…and, there are ways to get around anything else," he shrugged.

            "No, there aren't…" Rogue opened the door of the jeep, and was about to get in.

            Remy followed her to her side of the car, and he pushed the door closed again, he turned her towards him, and looked at her, "will you at least reconsider what you spoke of three weeks ago."

            Rogue faltered with her answer, then sighed, "fine…I'll…think about it…"


	3. Chapter 3: Rendezvous

**Chapter 3: Rendezvous**

            Late that night, Rogue found it impossible to sleep, so many thoughts running through her head about Remy LeBeau, and everything they had been going through within the last few months.  She wanted to be able to forgive him so bad, but every time she tried, she remembered that he had betrayed her in ways that could not be easily forgiven.

            Every time she looked at his face, and his eyes, she was desperate to be able to trust him the way she had begun to over a month ago.  

            The bedroom was warm at night, and Rogue found it impossible to sleep, she walked over to the window and pulled the blinds up, opening the large window, she sat on the window sill, looking out at the night.  Away in the distance, she could see a nearby beach, with a familiar man in black walking across the beach.  She knew it was Remy.  She wondered what he was thinking, walking around there, probably smoking a cigarette, just watching the tide.  The back of his long leather trenchcoat flapping in the cold wind.

            Rogue slipped out of the window quietly, and she took to the sky, and flew across the field to the beach, where Remy was.  She landed softly, her cold feet slightly sinking down into the cold wet sand.

            "Chere," Remy stated, his back to her, he indeed had a cigarette in his hand.

            "How'd you know I was there?" Rogue raised an eyebrow.

            "Thief's senses," he turned and looked at her, "aren't you cold?" he gestured to what she was wearing, a pair of grey shorts and a purple tanktop.

            "Kinda, but it was so warm in that bedroom," She shrugged.

            "Yeah, they overheat that place," Remy nodded, he slipped his coat off and tossed it over to her, "here," he said.

            Rogue accepted the jacket and slipped it on, breathing in the smell of his cologne, she looked at him.  "what you down here for?" she asked, she walked beside him slowly.

            Remy picked up a pebble from the sand and tossed it into the sea nonchalantly, "got lectured by Moira for smoking in the room, doesn't want nicotine stains on the ceiling, you see," he explained.

            Rogue slipped her hands into the side pockets of his coat, she could feel a pack of cards in there, he always carried cards, it was his weapon of choice, in the other pocket, she could feel the packet of cigarettes, and his lighter.  "I wish you'd just quit smokin', its nasty," Rogue stated.

            Remy laughed, "you're really something, y'know that?" he stopped walking, and turned towards her, "you like to pretend you couldn't give a rats ass about me," he stepped over to her, and looked down at her, "but you care, or you wouldn't want me to stop smoking…or to shave," he laughed softly.

            Rogue smirked a little but looked away, "I just hate the smell of smoke, and I hate looking at chin-pubes, and since you're always hanging around me like shit to a blanket then I figured you might as well make some changes to make yourself more appealing."

            "I thought I was already appealing enough," he said confidently.

            "Whatever," Rogue climbed up onto a large rock and stood there, looking out at the view, it was dark, everything wasn't visible, but the moon was out and the ocean was lit up, and the waves crashed against some large rocks engulfed in its icy waters.  

            Remy looked up at her, her hair was blowing fiercely in the wind, and the coat flapped around her, she looked so statuesque, as if she belonged up there.  Remy sat down on the large rock, he tossed his cigarette into the tide.   "What time is it?" he asked casually.

            "Don't know, haven't got a watch," Rogue sat down beside him, "Must be about midnight," she admitted.

            "What time we gotta be up tomorrow?" Remy asked with a slight yawn.

            "Seven," Rogue stated, "first lesson in mutant genetics, no doubt, Hank wants us knowing some basics about why we have our powers," Rogue admitted.  

            Remy nodded.

            Rogue then paused, "But…mystery is gone for me…'cause…I already know how I got mine…" she looked at Remy pointedly.

            Remy looked away guilty, "you're never going to forgive me for that, are you?"

            "Never," Rogue hugged her knees.   Remy's hair flapped around in the wind, Rogue watched him for a moment, "when you gonna get a hair cut?" she changed the subject.

            "When you forgive me."

            "So you're growing your hair long, then?" Rogue raised an eyebrow.

            "Why not," he shrugged.

            "Long hair on guys is…I dunno, so…"

            "Sexy?"

            "Dorky," Rogue replied.

            "Thanks a million," Remy stretched a little, he winced at an obvious back pain.

            "Sore?"

            "Yes.  I hurt myself when you threw me on the floor, remember?" he stated.

            Rogue rolled her eyes, "You're such a baby.  Men like Logan take pain with a pinch of salt, never whimper, never complain, and never show any signs of discomfort," Rogue explained, "you on the other hand, are a little whiny runt," she shoved him playfully.

            "Seriously," Remy stopped her, "do you realise HOW strong you are some times?" Remy asked, "every time you come near me you bruise me…"

            "And you keep coming back for more," Rogue shrugged.  "What does that say?"

            "That I like a bit of masochism," Remy stretched.

            Rogue made a face, "You aren't serious?" she chewed the inside of her cheek.

            "Of course I'm not," Remy laughed.

            "I wish you'd stop goofing around so much," Rogue rolled her eyes at him, she was about to stand up.

            "Chere, you do me a favour?"

            "What?" Rogue queried.

            "Rub my back," he smirked.

            "Ew! No!" Rogue stated.

            "Why not?  You hurt it."

            "Rub your own back," Rogue retorted.

            "I'm pretty limber but not THAT limber," Remy moved his hair away from his face, "c'mon…you got strong hands, you should be able to massage the pain out in no time."

            "Or make more…" Rogue reminded.

            "Pain is good," Remy joked.

            Rogue slapped him on the back, "behave."

            "Or?"

            "Or…I'll throw you into the water, and I won't be savin' your life by mouth to mouth a second time, LeBeau."

            "That's not a fair remark, I AM a good swimmer," Remy admitted, "Just the last time I was caught on the bike…"

            "Excuses excuses," Rogue stood up, "I'm heading back to the centre."

            "You're going to leave me here in agony?!" Remy demanded in a pathetic whine.

            Rogue sighed, "Fine…" She climbed onto the rock and knelt there behind him, trying to ignore the feeling of the rough barnacles under her knees, she gingerly put her hands onto his back and began to rub a little.  

            Remy remained still, "can you give me my cigarettes?" he requested after a moment.

            "No," Rogue gripped onto his shoulders tightly, he winced in pain.

            "Marie…" Remy murmured.

            "Don't call me that," Rogue massaged his back roughly, her hands were bare, but his sweater stood between their skins – which she was grateful for.

            "Sorry," Remy mumbled, "I was just wondering…"

            "Hmmm?"

            "How about a date?" he asked very casually.

            Rogue shoved him off of the rock, he fell onto the sand, but laughed.

            "Is that a no?" he rolled over, looking up at her.

            "Well DUH!" Rogue gaped, she leapt off the rock, floating into the air, and remained just a few feet above him, she pressed her hand down on his chest to pin him to the sand, "Now listen here, LeBeau…"

            Remy looked up at her, his eyes shone in the moonlight.

            "Unless you want another knee between the legs, you just better behave, I've already told you I'm not goin' out with you!"

            Remy reached up, grabbing the collar of the coat, he pulled her down a little, leaning up towards her, as if he were about to kiss her, it was just then that they heard sirens going off in the direction of the research centre.  


	4. Chapter 4: Break In

Chapter 4: Break In

"What the…" Rogue gasped, she grabbed a hold of Gambit's arms and yanked him up, and took to the sky, pulling him through the air with her.

            "Sounds like there's trouble…" Remy stated.

            Rogue dropped Remy in front of the glass doors leading into the building, and she rushed through herself, running through the twisted hallways, the alarms were going off like crazy, louder and louder.  Rogue was determined to find the source of the trouble and headed down the direction of the hallway leading to the main research laboratories, the closer they got to the laboratories, the louder the sirens became.

            "Remy!  Do you have a card key for this door?!" Rogue called over the sound of the loud alarms, she gestured towards an electronic door that needed a card key to be swiped through a little box on the wall to gain access past the door.

            "No…" Remy stated, "Fuck it, just break the door, Chere…"

            "Remy!" Rogue gasped at him, "that's destroying property!"

            "So what?!  Alarms are going off, there's obviously trouble…"

            Rogue slammed her fist through the Iron doors, and they buckled, but only very slightly, she tried again, even with her immense strength the doors were barely giving into her at all..  "Shit, these are heavy duty!" she despaired, she tried again, and nothing even happened.

Remy sighed, "okay, stand back…" he warned, "give me a card from the pocket of my coat…" he ordered.

She remembered the cards in the pocket, she reached in and pulled a card out, and handed it to him carefully, making sure their bare hands did not brush against each other, she then stepped back.

Remy focused his energy on the card, and the card began to glow a brilliant white-yellow, he slipped the card between the two doors, and let go of it with speed and precision, leaping out of the way, landing on the floor and raising his arms over his head as a massive explosion caused the doors to cave in, along with part of the brand new walls.  Rogue held her hands over her ears and fell to the floor to duck as pieces of brick and debris flew past she and Remy.

"That was DEFINITELY destroying property," Rogue mumbled, and she got up, and yanked Remy up also, they stepped over the pile of rubble and the two destroyed doors, and down a small corridor towards a normal  glass door – which was locked also, Rogue elbowed the door hard in the frame, causing it to fly open, the lock broken, but the glass still in place.  She and Remy spilled into the dark laboratory, Rogue located some light switches on the wall and flicked them, light flooded the large room.

 The laboratory was wrecked, papers scattered everywhere, glass jars and test tubes broken everywhere, all kinds of chemicals spilled across the floor, Rogue looked all around her, "looks like someone's broken in…" she was gasping for breath from all the rushing and commotion, she leaned forward a little, trying to catch her breath.

Remy looked around helplessly, unsure of what had happened.  Three large white rats were roaming around the floor, having obviously escaped from a knocked over cage that was lying on the floor.

            Rogue picked up a half broken jar that had once been filled with some sort of clear liquid – perhaps water – she looked at it,  "we're too late…" she looked around the laboratory again, trying to locate where the criminals might have escaped to, but no one was there.

            There were two other doorways leading into the Laboratory, both seemed secure, Rogue checked them, "all locked," she stated, "How did they get in?!" she demanded.

            "I dunno…" Remy was confused.

            "Stop RIGHT there!"

            Moira MacTaggert was standing at another doorway, holding a very dangerous looking rifle, she was in a nightgown, her hair mussed, she looked angry.

            Rogue looked at Moira confusedly, "what?!"  We didn't—" Rogue realised there must be some kind of misunderstanding, surely Moira did not think she and Remy had done all this damage.

            "Shut up!  Hands in the air!" Moira kept the gun pointed at them, she looked deranged and determined someone was going to pay for the injustice that had been placed upon the brand new laboratory.

            Rogue dropped the glass jar, it shattered on the floor loudly, she placed her hands in the air, along with Remy.

            "Moira, what is happening?!" Hank McCoy dashed through the doorway behind Moira, and looked at the laboratory with a look of shock and horror on his monstrous face, "oh my—" his voice full of apprehension, his eyes falling to the floor where important documents and reports were scattered, and shattered glass, the rats crawling near his feet.

            "Your students dismantled nine months of work whilst left unsupervised  That's what!" Moira shrieked in devastation at Hank.

            Rogue gaped, "Hold on, we didn't do this!" she stood with her bare feet amongst the glass – due to her invulnerability the glass did not slice into her flesh.  "Me and Gambit were down the beach when we heard the alarms goin' off…" she tried to explain, she put her hands down.  "We literally just got here two seconds before you did!"

            "How bad is the damage?" Hank looked around, "is anything missing?"

            Moira took a quick look around the laboratory, still clutching the gun tightly and determinedly.   "Several chemicals have been stolen…" Moira noted, she could see several things were missing from the shelves that she had known were burdened with chemicals and acids only earlier that day.  "And a few other pieces of equipment…"

            "We haven't took anything!" Rogue cried, "I told you!  We just got here!"

Hank walked over to a small digital panel on the wall, he typed in something to the number pad and the alarms suddenly stopped, the silence that followed left a strange ringing in all of their ears.

            "Surely there should be security cameras in here?" Hank asked of Moira.  "We can watch the security footage to find out who was behind all this…"

            "No!  We haven't even had a CHANCE to get the security cameras installed yet…The laboratory isn't fully finished, yet!" Moira despaired, "all of our work is ruined, Hank…this is going to set us back another six or seven months worth of work…" she looked close to tears.

            Hank looked at Remy and Rogue, "did you have anything to do with this?" he asked very lightly of them, his voice was not full of blame, but full of query.

            "Hank, we swear…" Rogue held up her hands in defence.  "Me and Remy were at the beach the whole time, she grabbed a hold of Remy's arm and turned him around, showing that there was damp sand sticking to the back of his navy sweater, "see…"

            Hank nodded, seeming to believe them.

            "You don't believe them…" Moira looked at Hank incredulously, her mouth forming a perfect 'O' in shock.

            "Moira, they're good kids…" Hank replied, "They'd have no reason that I can see to want to destroy the lab…and you have no proof that they did, with no security cameras we have no proof they had anything to do with this!"

            Moira looked at him, "I don't believe you!  You can clearly see the damage, and it didn't do itself…isn't this MESS proof enough?!" she gestured to the room which had once been an immaculate fully socked laboratory, and was now nothing more than a ghost of what it had been.

            Rogue looked at Remy now, concern etching on her face, mirrored in Remy's, they kept glancing back and forth to each other, then to Hank and Moira, confused.

            "Kids, go to the living room upstairs, I will be up in a moment to speak with you…" Hank looked at Remy and Rogue sternly, it seemed that he and Moira were about to have more disagreements that he did not wish either of them to be around for.

            Rogue and Remy didn't need to be told twice, they quickly left, walking down the same hallway they had come in through – stepping over the broken doors, down the hall in the laboratory, they could hear Hank and Moira arguing about who could have possibly done such a thing, voices were being raised louder and louder, and Rogue felt slight tinges of guild despite she knew she herself had nothing to do with this break in.

            "What do you think happened?" Rogue asked of Remy as they walked along the corridor together, still stepping over pieces of debris from Remy's explosion of the doors.

            "No clue…" Remy seemed confused, he kicked a solitary brick that had been lying in the floor – having been propelled down the hall from the explosion – off to the side of the wall.

            "Moira sure has a bad temper," Rogue admitted.

            "Yes…that she does," Remy replied.

Remy was silent the rest of the way up the hall into the main lobby of the centre, they began up the winding staircase.  They entered the living room, and they turned the lights on and sat down.  Just then, Kitty and Kurt came in, both in their night clothes, hair mussed, eyes sleepy.

"Guys, we heard alarms going off, what's going on?" Kitty asked with a yawn.

"Someone broke into the Laboratory – and now me and Remy are the main suspects," Rogue said bitterly.

"Why would someone want to break in?" Kurt asked curiously.

"I have no clue," Remy rubbed his bearded chin unsurely, "Hank is going to be coming up to speak to us soon, you two best be gone," he added.

"But we want to know what's going on exactly," Kitty tried.

"We'll fill you in later," Rogue assured, and waved them off.

Kitty and Kurt left together, leaving Rogue and Remy deep in thought, neither could think of anything to say for the longest time, Remy sat in a chair, silent, his expression full of confusion.  Rogue remained on the couch, still wearing Remy's leather coat.  It was Rogue who finally broke the silence, realising they'd been sitting there for almost half an hour without an exchange of words.

            "LeBeau, you're quiet, what's on your mind?" Rogue asked sullenly.

            "Nothin'," Remy retorted, "Just confused…still…Moira was so quick to pin it all on us – she didn't even want to hear our side of the story…" 

"She's human, isn't she?" Rogue asked quietly, as if this were to prove a point, that if Moira were a mutant also, Remy and Rogue wouldn't have been blamed for the wreckage, and that Moira was biased.

            And then came a voice from the stairway leading into the living room itself, "I'm afraid she is."


	5. Chapter 5: Suspicions

Chapter 5: Suspicions

            Rogue and Remy turned towards the stairway, seeing Hank McCoy standing there, looking distressed, and tired, wearing pyjama bottoms, his hair ruffled.  

            "Hank, we didn't do it…" Rogue leaned against Remy's chair for support, feeling drained by the whole situation, "why the hell would we WANT to break into the research centre and mess up the labs?" she demanded, "or STEAL anything?" Rogue demanded, she sounded incredibly angry that Moira had even blamed them without giving them a chance to explain.

            "I do not have the answer to that, and I am not blaming either of you for this," Hank stated, "Moira might be, but she is just angry, a lot of work has been destroyed, and a lot of expensive chemicals and equipment have also been stolen," Hank explained.

            "She jumped right on our backs though!!! WE didn't do ANYTHING!!  We rushed down there hearing the alarms and when we noticed the alarms coming from the lab area we headed down that way!" Rogue was yelling.

            "And destroyed the locked doors?" Hank queried.

            "Yes, that I'll admit, okay so you got me for destruction of property," Rogue gave in, "But the lab was like that when we got there!"

            "Chere, calm down," Remy stood up, he walked over to Hank, "Dr McCoy, it was I who blew the doors up, Rogue didn't have the power to do that, you know that," he explained, "you can discipline me with blowin' the doors, but leave Rogue out of it," Remy stated bravely.

            "Where were you two?" Hank asked again, absent-mindedly already forgetting pieces of the story he'd been told, he'd received some yelling from Moira, he had a hard time concentrating on everything going on around him at that particular moment in time.

"Me and Rogue were down at the beach…"

            "What were you doing down at the beach after curfew," Hank looked at Remy, his eyes squinting in suspicion.

            "Hold on, you're starting to suspect him too, now?" Rogue demanded worriedly, "I was with him the whole time!" She tried to defend Remy.

             "Chere, please, hold your tongue," Remy looked at her sternly, he then turned to Hank, eager to explain himself, "Dr MacTaggert got pissed at me around ten pm when I accidentally set off a smoke alarm in my room when I was having a cigarette," He explained, "she gave me some shit about this being a new building and not wanting nicotine on the ceilings, and told me if I wanted to smoke, I had to go outside."

            Rogue was about to speak again, but Remy interrupted.

            "I was down at the beach taking a walk while I was havin' a smoke," he explained, "pure and simple.  And I am almost twenty-years old, for Christ's sake, I don't HAVE a curfew," he reminded, "would you like to check my breath for the smell of cigarettes?" Remy asked impudently.  

            "No, thank you," Hank put up his hand in his defence, "please do not come off with a bad attitude at me, Mr LeBeau, I must remind you that I'm trying to gather all the facts here so I can prove your innocence…the fact is that even though you only just arrived moments before myself and Moira did, it seems that the damage was done before any of us arrived, it looks like the rats sent off motion detectors near the floor of the laboratory.  These are questions I must ask to make sure you are not to blame…" 

            "Fair 'nough," Remy snorted.

            "Rogue…why were you with him?" Hank looked at her, "You have a curfew of eleven, and I know you don't smoke…" Hank said confidently, "so I do not need to see why you would be there with him."

            Rogue looked at Hank, then to Remy, back to Hank, and then away in space, she searched her thoughts for an answer, how was she going to explain she snuck out to see Remy?  Without getting herself in to trouble for breaking curfew, or worse, raising suspicions that she and Remy might be romantically involved and doing things that they should not be doing.  The first was true, of course, but the second?  Only partly perhaps.

            Still, the answer did not come easily.

            "I told her to come…" Remy lied, and rather excellently he did as well, "had things to tell her about why I joined the X-Men…she kept demanding to know, and I told her…"

            Rogue looked at Remy, completely amazed how well he could lie.  Of course, it didn't seem that Hank would know that Rogue had discovered the truth over a month ago – Hank was not even aware of the whole story of how Rogue had absorbed Miss Marvel's powers totally, only Professor Xavier might have known that, and Professor Xavier had not even indicated total awareness that Remy had told her everything about that night. 

            "So you went to see a nineteen-year-old – after dark - in skimpy nightclothes…" Hank gestured to Rogue, who – still wearing Remy LeBeau's long leather trenchcoat which was hanging open – could be seen wearing shorts and a tight tank top.  "You must understand how suspicious this is sounding to me – is there something going on here that I don't know about?"

            "I didn't think to change, I didn't know how cold it gets in Scotland at night…it was warm in the room, I got a note from Remy under my door just after I had changed, told me to go to him at midnight on the beach," Rogue looked at him, building the lie up, Remy looked at her desperately as if to tell her not to speak anymore.

            "The reason she had my coat on is because I thought she seemed a little exposed," Remy tried to quickly take Hank's attention off of the lie about the note.

            "So there is a note?" Hank asked hopefully, anything that might have proven where Rogue and Remy had been might have seemed extremely useful.  He was no detective but he knew what to look for in an alibi for most situations.

            "Uhm…no…" Rogue clenched her teeth, quickly trying to come up with an excuse, "I…threw it away…"

            "Then it must still be in the garbage, I need to see it just to verify facts to hold you both innocent…" Hank stated wisely.

            "You can't see it, Mon ami," Remy sighed, still trying to look for another lie, he quickly found one.  "She was mad at me and threw it in the water…" he lied.

            Hank looked as if he didn't believe a word of their story at all.  "Rogue…Remy told you about his secrets a month ago…Professor Xavier saw it in your mind when you had your breakdown," Hank seemed very upset.

            Rogue gaped, she couldn't believe it, their only real alibi to keep them from being blamed for something they didn't do anyway, was shot.

            Rogue drew her breath, and glanced at Remy, "I…uh…"

            Remy looked at Rogue, wondering what they were going to do now.

            Rogue moved over to Remy and put her arm around him in a very confident way as if it were something she always did, "Fine, I'll admit it, I went to see Remy 'cause we've been seein' each other…" she gripped Remy's side and squeezed, so that he'd respond promptly to her words.

            Remy nodded quickly, and put his arm around her, "Yes, we're sorry Mon ami, it was a sneaky thing to do but…" he felt Rogue squeeze his side again, and he quickly came up with a reply, "but we knew that you would not agree with this seeing as I am much older than she is…but…we could not help it…" he tried to explain, "We have very strong feelings about each other, and could not fight the need to see each other…" Remy laid it on thick, sounding genuine – it made Rogue wonder if he was just a very good liar, or very good at being honest.

            Rogue felt herself tense up wondering how Hank would receive this story, would he know it was a lie?  Or perhaps would he believe it?  Rogue looked at Remy, knowing he was thinking the exact same thing she was, and that also, that they both understood – whether Rogue would ever want to admit it or not – their story was partly the truth.

            Hank sighed, "I'm disappointed in you both, you should know better than to be getting involved…" he looked at them sternly.  "I'll be informing the Professor of this little relationship – and he'll deal with it as he sees fit," Hank warned, "In the meantime, I don't want you hanging around each other alone anymore," He sighed.  "And as for the situation with the laboratory, I guess this confirms that you are both innocent…I don't see any noticeable proof that either of you could either be responsible…"

            Rogue felt relief pulse through her.

            "Tomorrow you'll both still help us clean up – since you did destroy the doors," Hank stated, "in the meantime…you'll go to bed – separately I might add," he added.

            Rogue and Remy walked a distance apart to their rooms, Hank behind them both, he made sure they went to their rooms without saying anything else to each other, and stuck around the hallway for a good while to make sure neither snuck into the others room.

            Rogue could hear Hank pacing outside in the hallway, she sat on her bed, still wearing Remy's trench coat, and waited for Hank to leave so she could go to speak with Remy, but it seemed Hank wasn't intending to leave any time soon.   She took off Remy's coat, taking the cards out of his pocket, she shuffled them absently, waiting for Hank to go away so she could quickly go and clear things up with Remy – make sure that he was aware that there was no relationship between them.

            But Hank did not go, and Rogue spent the night waiting, trying to figure out how she would speak with Remy and clear things up.


	6. Chapter 6: For the Last Time

**Chapter 6:  For the Last Time**

            Three am came, and Rogue was still awake, the hall had long became silent, and she was beginning to consider perhaps trying to sneak out to visit Remy in his room to speak with him about their alibi.  She sat on the floor in silence, she'd built an impressive house of cards upon the carpet, out of boredom. 

            She felt exhaustion beginning to weigh down on her, but the fact was she didn't want to go to sleep until she was sure that Remy understood their alibi was nothing more than that.  

            Rogue also found herself feeling concern over what the Professor might think when he heard about this alibi from Hank.  She half considered trying to phone to the Mansion to tell him not to believe it, that he could read her mind and see the truth that there was nothing going on.  

            "God, WHY did I use that as an excuse, I should have told him the truth, that I was bored and went to speak with Gambit, why didn't I just tell Hank that?!" Rogue demanded of herself angrily, she knocked over the house of cards stubbornly and began to pick the playing cards up off the carpet.

            She realised if Remy hadn't been smoking and hadn't needed to go outside for a cigarette, this whole thing might have not happened, she hated him for smoking right then.  Realising the cigarettes were still in the pocket of the trenchcoat that was in the room with her, she realised she had an advantage. 

            Rogue dug in to the pocket of his trenchcoat and yanked out the cigarettes, and she opened the packet, there were eight cigarettes remaining.  She pulled them all out, walked over to the window, and opened it, she crushed the cigarettes in her hand until they were nothing more than paper and scattered tobacco, and she held her hands open and let the wind carry the remnants of what had been the cigarettes away.  She closed the window, feeling much better with herself for having destroyed something.

            She idly wondered how long it'd take before he realised she still had his coat – and his cigarettes – and would come looking for her to claim what was his.  She climbed onto the bed and lay down, the collar of the coat near her face, she breathed in the scent of Remy LeBeau, nicotine, and cologne, and there was a scent of wine on the coat, she realised it had probably been spilt long ago.  

            Rogue lay looking up at the ceiling, she wondered if he was even awake at that moment.  She wondered if he was thinking about her at that moment.  She worried that he may be thinking at that moment that she had finally come to terms with her feelings for him – and that's why she'd used it as an alibi to prove their innocence.  She still felt so stupid for having done this.  She felt stupid because it was so near the truth and she didn't even want it to be.

            She was almost beginning to doze off when she heard her cellular phone – which was in her bag nearby - beeping indicating that someone was trying to call her.   She leaned over, picking the bag up, unzipping the front compartment and pulling out her phone, she hit the receive button and put it to her ear, "Hello?" she yawned.

            "He's still out there," came Remy's voice, very whispering.

            "Remy?  You're still up?"

            "Can't sleep, keep thinkin' about what happened," Remy's voice sounded equally tired as hers did, "Been some night, huh?" he mused.

            Rogue gave a yawn, and rested against her pillow, holding her phone against her ear, she kept her voice low, "Yeah, it has…" she sighed, "I'm still confused as to who did break into the centre…" she sighed, "Y'know…I left my window open when I came out to the beach with you…maybe that's how…whoever it was…got in…"

            "I'm sure it wasn't your fault, Marie," Remy sounded particularly sure of this.  

            "By the way, Remy," Rogue closed her eyes, she reached over and turned off her light, intending to go straight to sleep after she'd said what she was going to.

            "Oui?" Remy queried.

            "I just wanna make sure that you know I was lyin' when I told Beast me and you were…y'know…and item or whatever…it just seemed like the best way to convince him we had absolutely nothing to do with the laboratory being broken into."

            "Oh…that," Remy said, his voice sounded dry for a moment, "Well…I knew that," he sounded as if he hadn't though, as if he were slightly disappointed, "had to play along like I did though, obviously…" he added.

            "How'd you learn to lie so well?" Rogue yawned again.

            Remy yawned too – as yawns often prove to be contagious,  "It's easy when you got a quick enough mind to keep up with the things you make up," he admitted.  "Which I have.  I've always been good at lying, I can almost make anyone believe anything…"

            "Is that so?" Rogue smirked a little.

            "No one ever knows when I lie," Remy laughed softly.

            "One day those lies are gonna get you into A LOT of trouble" Rogue mused, her laughter died though and she felt seriousness return though, "but…just out of curiosity, how will I ever know if you're lying about stuff to me?" she questioned worriedly.

"You won't…you just have to trust me…" Remy replied, "trust me when I say I won't ever lie to you."

Rogue kept her eyes closed, suddenly she began to realise she had never given Remy LeBeau her cellular phone number, she opened her eyes, "hey…Remy?"

            He yawned, "uh huh?"

            She yawned again, "How did you get my number?  I don't think I ever gave it to you…"

            "From the little book of numbers and addresses in Xavier's office," Remy replied very tiredly.

            "Oooooh," Rogue answered as if she should have realised this – as if it were something that was obvious, "well…I'm gonna go now 'cause I'm REALLY tired," She yawned again, "see you in the morning…"

            "Night, ma cherie," came his reply.

            "Yeah…night…" Rogue hung up the phone, she closed her eyes and rolled onto her side, hugging his trenchcoat close to her, breathing in the smell of his cologne again.

She had almost drifted off to sleep when suddenly a thought crossed her mind…how in the hell could Remy LeBeau have possibly gotten a hold of Professor Xavier's personal phone number book, she'd seen the Professor keep it in a locked drawer, in his office, which was always locked when he was not there.

            She then sat bolt up right, her eyes wide, she let out a gasp.  Remy was a Thief, not just a literal Thief, but a PROFESSIONAL Thief, if he was clever enough to sneak into the locked office of a telepath to get a telephone number from a book – without ever being caught – was it perhaps even possible that…

            Rogue put her hand to her mouth.  "Was it possible that he did break into the lab?" She asked herself in a muffled whisper, she chewed her lip.  Remy could sneak into almost  any place, she knew this herself, he'd managed to get into the mansion – highly secured – without even setting off the perimeter alarms.   And in a new building, with no security cameras, it would be easy enough for him to break into any of the rooms and take whatever he needed to without there ever being any evidence that he'd had anything to do with the break in.

            Rogue knew he was able to disable most alarms – and the fact was hadn't Hank said the rats had set off the motion detectors which had set off the alarms long after the damage had already been done?  What if the damage had been done an hour before she'd even seen him on the beach?  He would have had time to do it all and then leave the building and go to the beach where she'd seen him.    And then when the alarms had gone off, he'd deliberately gone with her and seemed surprised at the wreckage they'd found – lying once again to her.  Only to frame himself to have Rogue prove his innocence as she'd been with him .

            She tried to reason with herself, "no…it couldn't be," She told herself.   Rogue suddenly felt something hard in the inside pocket of the coat she'd been wearing earlier, she couldn't believe she hadn't noticed it before.  She reached inside the coat and into the pocket and pulled out a small box, with lock picking tools, she couldn't believe it.  What more proof could turn up that Remy was responsible for the break in?

            It seemed like Remy LeBeau actually did break into the Lab…but what had he stolen?  And why?  What were his motives?

            Again, all the trust she'd begun to feel towards him, all the new feelings of wanting to reconcile with him, begun to drift away, with suspicion.  She put the box in the pocket and tossed the coat carelessly to the floor.

            "This isn't going to work out…" she told herself, "How the hell can it!?  He's a Thief!  I can't trust him…I can never trust him…not after this…he's the only one who COULD be responsible for this break in!"

            Rogue felt tears escaping and she wiped them away, she didn't want to let herself cry over him again.  "No, Rogue, you are NOT going to do this to yourself again.  This is it, its over, you need to get over this guy – he's no good.  A break in happens and he's the only guy smart enough to pull it off…"

            Rogue looked at the coat, wondering now if perhaps Remy had ever stopped working for Magneto at all…

            "Remy LeBeau," She said as if she were speaking him to directly, but she was the only person in the room, "You've fooled me for the last time…"


End file.
